Lovely People
Chapter 2:
She awoke with something light and feathery being brushed against her cheek and then pulled behind her ear. A second later she was stirred again by something soft slightly pulling on her bottom lip. She moaned wanting to go back to sleep, but the thought was robbed from her as she felt something cold slide up her thigh. Her eyes snapped open in horror. It only took her a moment to process the situation and the man above her that was now massaging her upper thigh. She pushed him away violently. He barely budged.
Her eyes adjusting, she could see the smirk that creased his thin lips. She wiped the back of her hand over her mouth glaring up at him, elbows propping her up slightly. His long silver hair fell over his shoulders like curtains.
"What makes you still think you can fight against me? Has there been a time when you've won?" he whispered with an audible smirk.
His fingers traced the side of her face reveling in her soft skin, but even the simplest touch from him made Serena queasy. With great disdain, she slapped his hand away as if touching him at all would cause her serious illness.
"Get away from me," she spat attempting to push him away, but he only smirked, mocking her.
Finally having enough, he took her wrists in each of his hands and weighted them down over her head while moving to straddle her waist. Serena's eyes, just a moment ago squinted shut, flew open in a split second bout of horror before she covered it with a furious glare, her struggling coming to a halt.
"Why did you stop? I was enjoying your squirming quite a bit," his almost white, crystal blue eyes darkened a shade as he leaned in towards her.
She turned her face away from him, disgusted with his humor while, at the same time, trying to hide her blush. Her pail cheeks gave her away easily. Diamond's gruff laugh sounded from his throat as he bent down further taking in her intoxicating smell. He couldn't put his finger on it, the mixture of something so mouth-watering sweet that he could not forget, haunted him even when he was away on business, mixed with the sent of her somewhat musky smell. No, it couldn't be musk. The word didn't befit how wonderfully brain melting her smell was. He took in another deep breath as he nuzzled her neck. He licked the soft skin beneath her ear remembering how delicious she tasted. She stiffened under him and squeezed her eyes shut trying to think of some possible way to get herself out of what was only moments away from happening.
"God damn it! I said, GET OFF OF ME!" She screamed as loud as she could, then smashed her head into his, not caring in the least how much she hurt herself.
Not at all expecting her actions, Diamond's head was thrown back with a curse and his grip on her loosened unconsciously. Feeling this, a spark of hope pushed passed the sharp pain Serena had inflicted on herself as she flew off her bed, throwing an enraged Diamond aside, and ran out the door in an incredible rush of adrenaline. Once out the door, Serena felt a whole universe lift off her shoulders. She had done it! She had gotten away! For the first time in her life, she had avoided what she came to think of as the inevitable, but even as she rejoiced she knew she couldn't stop. He'd find her. He wouldn't let her go if he found her.
He couldn't find her, she thought as she wove through corridors, in and out of rooms, trying to find the right spot. The spot where he would never dream of looking.
Her running, shortly, became clumsy as she couldn't find enough oxygen to breath and she had some time ago stopped looking through doors and down hallways with sharp eyes. She felt exhausted, but couldn't find it in herself to stop running. Suddenly, though, as she turned into another corridor, she rammed into something incredibly hard causing her to fall to the ground, her head hitting the floor making a dull thud. The pain only lasted for a moment as a panicked thought of Diamond ran through her head before she succumbed to the relaxing fingers of unconsciousness.
Throbbing...it came to her dull, at first, but the more she was aware of it, the sharper it became. The pulsating within her head was keeping a steady count of how long it would take for the girl to cry out in pain.
She groaned, not finding the energy to do anything more.
"Well, that didn't take long," someone from somewhere in the room whispered.
Serena wanted to find out who it was, but was afraid to open her eyes. She just couldn't stand the throbbing pain. She couldn't think with it so loud.
"Are you going to open your eyes, princess?" The whisper was closer this time and she couldn't help but wince just a little at how even his soft voice could grate against her head.
She groaned again in response to a particularly sharp throb, but the man beside her took it as a no to his question.
"Hm," he thought for a moment.
Serena could hear him move about the room quietly, his cloths moving against each other. Finally gathering her nerve, Serena squinted an eye open still weary of any agitations that sight might bring. She was relieved to note that the room was dark and opened her other eye. The man returned to her side with a bottle and spoon in his right hand. With his left he pulled a chair to the side of her bed.
Realization struck her. She looked down at the covers on the bed to find they were navy, not white and smelled of something, she couldn't put her finger on what, but it didn't smell like her. She looked up at the man beside her trying to figure out who he was and, maybe, that would help her figure out where she was.
"So you did open your eyes," he whispered again, but with an audible smile of which she could not see.
Her vision was impaired by the darkness of the room and the slightly dulled throbbing in her head.
"Can you sit up?" The man beside her asked ready to help her if she needed it.
Serena squinted again at him. She knew she knew him and she knew it wasn't Diamond because this man's hair was too short. Then it struck her, Dr. Shields. Of course, how could she be so stupid?
"Serena, can you sit up?" He repeated himself giving her his complete attention.
Should she trust him? What was he doing? Taking someone he didn't know into his chambers, if it was what she thought it was. Trying to help this person he didn't know? Why? Would he be payed more for his extra services? Would he? She doubted it. What did he want? What could have possibly made him help her, not leave her unconscious on the floor where she had fallen? She could only think of one thing.
Darien reached a hand out to her intending to shake Serena out of whatever thoughts she was drowning in. He had seen so many emotions express themselves on Serena's face: pain, confusion, contemplation, skepticism, and this fear that tore at him when she came back from whatever distance she had been away. She looked so completely vulnerable, he couldn't understand why and when she shrank away from his hand his heart broke for her.
Her eyes watched him, sharp as she could make them, watching his every move trying to decipher his thoughts. His hand had been retracted to his lap as he sat back into his chair. As she watched him, so was he watching her. A moment of ear numbing breathing passed between them, eyes locked in wonder.
"Why do I scare you?" His whisper was soft as if he was asking himself.
It took Serena a moment to process his question, her head still pounding, her body still as heavy as a ton of bricks. Why didn't she trust him? Why didn't she trust him...
He was a man. He was bigger, he was stronger, he was a he and she hadn't met any he's that she could trust. But she couldn't tell him that. He just wouldn't understand. There wasn't a possible way he could understand what she'd gone through, was currently going through.
It was weird, though. The way he asked had somehow relaxed her, had made her feel that he had no intention to hurt her, was only there to care for her. Could just one question break through the walls Serena had carefully constructed around herself. It had taken months for her to build them. So secure was their design and yet, she had already allowed herself to relax in front of this Darien Shields who had only asked a question. One stupid question?
She was so pathetic, so nÏeve. She couldn't stand herself.
A frustrated sigh brought Serena back from her thoughts, her eyes shifting to the slumped over figure beside her. His head was being cradled in his palms as he rubbed his eyes trying to get rid of his rising headache and increasing weariness. This girl was just so frustrating to him. He couldn't understand her.
Suddenly, for some unexplainable reason which scared her a bit, Serena felt compelled to make Darien feel better somehow. It just seemed like he was trying so hard and all she could do was shrink away and give him the silent treatment. It had crossed her mind what could have happened if Darien hadn't took it upon himself to drag her unconscious form to his chambers. She owed him something.
"Thank you," was the only thing she could think of. She felt so dim witted, but at least it was a start.
Darien's head lifted from the his hands with a blank look on his face that Serena could just barely make out. He was confused. Had she just said something? He wasn't sure if it was just the rundown state he was in getting to him or if she had actually opened her mouth.
"Excuse me?" He asked almost hesitantly.
She couldn't stop herself from smiling at him through all her discomfort. He had just looked too cute, his hair unruly, his eyes wide in confusion, and his mouth slacked. He was adorable.
"Thank you for helping me."
He was completely caught off guard by her sudden change. Wasn't she the scared bunny he had seen earlier? So what prompted the smile she was so willingly giving him?
"Sure," he returned the smile, feeling a bit relieved. "Can you sit up?" He repeated the question hoping this time the results would be different.
Serena frowned slightly. She knew if she sat up her head would be swimming. She didn't want to, but before she refused he explained himself.
"I have something you can take for your headache, but you have to sit up in order to take it."
Serena bit her bottom lip. Was it worth it to sit up? She didn't feel like she could sit up, truthfully.
"Do you need help?" Darien asked shifting forward in his seat.
"No. No, I think I'll be alright, thanks," she waved him off quickly. She was strong, she could do this one simple task.
Using her arms, Serena pushed herself towards the oak headboard curving her back to lean up against it. Her eyes squinted shut against the pain her movement brought, she doubled over cradling her head in her hands. Soft whimpers tore at Darien as he watched the slip of a girl in front of him cry. He wanted to jump off his chair to hold her and sooth away her pain, but all he could remember were the times he did try to reach out to her, did hold her. She didn't seem like she liked it very much, he smirk at his own dry wit.
About five minutes passed before Serena's throbbing pain dulled. They sat in silence; Darien not having a clue as to what he should do for her. Serena not wanting to move again, exhausted from the whole experience and embarrassed about crying. She used her hands to wipe at her tear stained face.
"Okay, princess," Darien broke the silence with his soft voice, "I know sitting up will hurt, just take it slow alright? I swear, it'll be okay once you take some medicine. You just have to sit up," he tried to urge her.
Serena felt broken, felt like breaking down and crying all over again. She just couldn't understand why bad things had to happen to her. Was she a bad person? Did she unwittingly deserve it? What was her problem? She bit on her bottom lip as she sniffled between deep breaths.
"Serena?" Darien leaned over to see through her curtain of sun-dewed hair.
She inhaled as deep as she could.. Not here, not now; she told herself. Inhaling again, she readied herself. Slowly, she sat up, all the while flinching at little pangs, but all together, this time hadn't been as bad. She sighed as she laid her head against the headboard again. She was alright. She was okay.
Darien smiled down at her as if to say he was proud. After unscrewing the cap, Darien tipped the brown bottle in his right hand, pouring out the substance inside onto a t-spoon that he held in his left. Steadily, he leaned towards Serena, expectantly.
"Open up," Darien ordered after watching her study the spoon for a moment. He felt a little dismayed at her hesitance.
Serena's crystal eyes lifted to Darien's navy then back at the spoon before leaning forward slightly and opening her mouth. She felt so pathetic having him feed her the medicine. She coughed at the tasted of it. What a rancid, bitter taste. Her face scrunched, her eyes looking at the bottle still held in Darien's hand as if blaming it. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. How disgusting.
"One more," Darien prompted, leaning forward again.
Serena eyed the spoon again before opening her mouth to it.
"Blah," Serena made another face after swallowing.
Darien laughed, amused with her antics, and screwed the lid back onto the bottle. Serena glared at him.
"That's not funny. That God awful stuff tasted horrible," she crossed her arms across her chest as she leaned back against the headboard already feeling a bit better, but she wasn't sure it was because of the medicine.
"I never said it'd taste good," he retorted casually as he put his bottle back into the bag from which it came. He'd send the spoon to be washed.
Serena, on the other hand, had only snorted at him before fighting off a yawn.
"It's alright, princess. Just got to sleep and by the time you wake up all your troubles will be gone."
God, how she wished that was true.
